Lifesaving equipment for air and other craft



June V1950 B. w. o. TOWNSHEND 2,

LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT FOR AIR AND OTHER CRAFT Filed Nov. 1'7, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 276 11 Jm/Wn/ZZL June 6, 1950 B. w. o. TOWNSHEND LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT FOR AIR AND OTHER CRAFT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV- 17, 1943 June 6, 1950 E. w. o. TOWNSHEND LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT FOR AIR AND OTHER CRAFT Filed Nov. 17, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l lll l l l llhi 3 M zamz wzm M June 6, 1950 B. w. o. TOWNSHEND 2,510,843

LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT FOR AIR AND OTHER CRAFT Filed NOV- 17, 1943' 4 Sheets-sheet 4 Patented June 6, 1950 LIFESAVING EQUIIHENT FOR AIR AND OTHER? CRAFT Basil Wilmot Oliver Townshend, Croydon, England Application November 17 1943, Serial No; 510,682 In Great Britain January 20,1943

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to lifeboats or similar rescue devices for air and other craft.

It is an object of the invention to provide a new or improved construction which is capable of simple installation on craft to which these devices are to be applied, is readily releasable from the craft and provides a self-contained unit capable of carrying all emergency equipment while furnishing desirable accommodation for members-of the crew. 7

According to this invention, a lifeboat or similar rescue device for an air or other craft comprises a rigid watertight container suitable for being housed at top or side of the fuselage, hull or body of the craft, and means designed to hold 7 Claims. (c1. 114-77) said container in position on the fuselage or the like but which is readily releasable, when emergency arises, so that the container may be launched or launches itself on the water.

It is advantageous to construct these devices in such a way that their outer surface merges into the skin of the fuselage, hull or other part of the craft so as to preserve, or substantially preserve, the streamline or other recognised contour thereof, and for this reason, it is preferred to construct the devices for accommodation in inverted position on the craft and associate with balanced, either symmetrically or asymmetricalchute release for the container from the craft may be provided. This release could be used alternatively to any other release device if desired.

' In any event, the container could be adapted "for the stowage of various articles or commodities such as would be desirable or necessary for the welfare of those rescued. It might also contain sails, an engine or other means for propulsion.

It will be. appreciated that a device of the nature referred to presents advantage in the embodiment of a rigid container which is accommodated in or on the fuselage or body of the craft. It can readily be shaped so as to be accommoble of providing a desirably rigid body for containing various necessities for sustenance or assistance of members of the crew. Combined with auxiliary buoyant means, such as the inflatable ly, or provided with fittings adapted to render them so unbalanced, so that they will roll over or can be readily rolled over in the water. As an alternative, rupturable or disconnectable release means are provided between the devices and the air or other craft for causing the devices to be self-righting.

Auxiliary buoyant means are suitably associated with the devices to assist flotation or selfrighting action. Thus, one or more inflatable bodies'are associated with the container together with means whereby such bodies are causedto become inflated upon release of the container or when the latter has taken to the water.

The inflatable bodies may include one or more which are inflatable immediately on release of the container and operative to facilitate launching. The inflation of this body or bodies may be arranged to take place in such a manner that the effect is to propel or positively eject the container from the craft and also, if desired, to assist selfrighting.

According to another arrangement, a para-- bodies, which may desirably have a formation and application suitable for providing the container with end or how and stern sections, and/or -means forself-righting, and/or outboard or outrigger floats, it further enables a semi-rigid or rigid boat-like device or raft to be constructed which possesses considerably enhanced advantages from the point of view of safety and stability. Moreover, it is more convenient, with the rigid container, to step a mast in the device.

In order that the invention may be the more readily understood reference is directed in asso- "iciation with the accompanying drawings to the following description of suitable practical examples of lifeboats or similar rescue devices in accordance with the present'improvements.

In the drawings- :Figur 1 is a general diagrammatic view of an aeroplane fitted with rescue devices of the nature forming the subject of the invention and constructed according to the example shown in Figure 2. v

Figure 2 is a part-sectional elevation, to a larger scale than Figure 1, showing a, first example of such a rescue device inverted (as compared with Figure 1) as it normally would be after launching from the aircraft.

Figure 3 is a part-sectional plan of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but taken at right-angles thereto.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively part longitu- 4' may be automatically released from its recess 8 in the fuselage by operation of the solenoid 2I which is actuated electrically through the impact or salt-water immersionswitch 24 aforesaid. As the connection of the container 4 to the craft I is shown at only a single attachment point (although more could be used if desired), only one securing device I5, I9 is necessary and this would release immediately the aircraft commenced to sink, or practically so. Alternatively, the manual control by the handle 25 may be used. In either case, the release is suitably adapted also to bring about inflation of bolsters I4 from one or more of the fluid pressure cylinders I2.

These cylinders could be controlled automatically or manually. In Figure 10, a switch 22 associated with the solenoid H is shown for automatically controlling the circuit of the electrical control valves 2! and 3| of cylinders I2. vManual control by the handle 25 could be through a connection or connections as at 25 (Figure 3). Valve 3|, however, is further controlled by a switch 30 referred to below. The bolsters I4, are under control of valve or valves 21 and, in inflating, erect themselves in planes which are normal to the plane of the container 4, see Figure 12, and blow or impel the container 4 free from its recess 8 in the fuselage, so that altogether its freeing from the craft I, on ditching, is very reliable. The freeing is also favoured by the sloping ends 6 of thecontainer. These also minimise risk of the container jamming from distortion of the fuselage of the craft I on ditching. The bolsters I4 are designed to make the container unstable as soon as they inflate so that as soon as the container floats in the water it rolls over as depicted by the arrow in Figure 11 for example. Or such design of the bolsters enables the container to be easily turned over with manual assistance or even to initiate rolling over of the container before it touches the water. The hollow rigid container 4 thus comes to a position indicated by Figure 12 to form the basis of a lifeboat or similar device. Subsequently, the bolsters I4 may be removed and for this purpose detachable connections for them with the container 4, such as pressbutton fastenings, may be provided at the places indicated at 28 in Figure 3. When taken off they may be placed along the sides of the container outboard and secured in position (as at 29 Figure 9). The recesses I3 for the bolsters may have detachable lids which blow ofi when the bolsters are inflated.

It is not until the container has been rolled or turned over as stated that the stern and bow sections I50 and I60 are inflated from one or more of the fluid pressure cylinders I2. Suitable means for bringing about this inflation comprises the aforesaid switch 30 which is shown of the mercury type comprising a closed-ended non-conducting tube 30*", e. g. of glass, containing a drop of mercury 30 and having two wire contacts 30 fused or sealed into one end and separated by a small gap which is bridged by the mercury 30 when this end is lowest. This switch 30 closes on the rollover movement of the container and, as shown by Figure 10, is used in the circuit of the control valve 3| of one of the fluid pressure cylinders I2 and in series with the switch 22. The inflation would first blow off the ends 6 covering the aforesaid compartments for the collapsed bow and stem sections, as indicated in Figure 12, whereafter the sections would extend to the form shown in Figures 8 and 9. The inflation having been completed, the device is ready for occupation, and

is shown occupied in Figure 8. It will be realised that as the switch 30 is not effective unless immersion switch 24 is closed, any aerobatics to which the aircraft may be subjected in flight and during which thecontainer 4 may become inverted, will not cause unintentional inflation of the bow and stern sections I50 and I60.

The crew would ordinarily abandon the aircraft I by the aforesaid hatch I8 in the bottom of the container recess 8 of the craft, though of course use could be made of a hatch elsewhere. The centre compartments I0 of the container 4 have a removable cover 32, Figures 2 to 4, and when the-crew are aboard, this can be lifted out giving access to such gear as mast and sails aforesaid; The space thus made available provides a well for the crew who can sit inthe well (see Figure 8), or along the top sides of the container which provide rigid seats, with their feet in the well; or as also indicated in Figure 8 they may sit Within or upon the bow and stem sections, which suitably comprise flat floor members 33 (Figure 9) of rubberised fabric'or of other flexible material situated within the confines of the inflatable tubes of these sections and secured at their edges to such tubes and to the container 4. When the well provided by the open compartments I0, is open access is also possible to the other equipment above referred to. The bottom of the well is rigid, and is shown with means at either end, at 34, for the stepping of the mast 35, which is shown erected in Figure 8 and carrying a sail 36. The well may be fitted with a keel or keels at 31-, Figures 8 and 9, which may be retracted when not in use within a hollow wall or partition 38 in the well (see also Figures 3 and 4). A rudder is shown-in conventional fashion in Figures 8 and 9 attached to the point of the inflatable stern section I60. Alternatively, the rudder may be attached to the opposite section I50.

The buoyancy system described would provide four independent inflatable bodies or compartments, i. e. I4, I4, I50 and I60 the inflation system at one end of the boat being a duplicate of that at the other end as shown. If the system I50 or I60 at either end should be damaged beyond repair, say on ditching or from other cause, that one could be cut adrift and the mast 35, if necessary, stepped at the other end of the container. In the unlikely event of failure of both bow and stern systems I50 and I60, the container 4 itself could still be used as a well equipped raft, and the mast, which may be telescopic as shown in Figure 8, be stepped for wireless purposes. The container would still be self-righting owing to the bolsters I4 or could be made so by using emergency bolsters similarly mounted and adapted to be inflated from the fluid-pressure cylinders I2, or by other means. The pressure fluid for inflation of the bolsters and so on, is led to the point of use in suitable manner as by pipes indicated at 39 and 36 in Figures 3 and 4. The arrowed ends of the leads from the battery 26 in Figure 10 are intended to indicate that the battery may also be used to supply other services such as lights or wireless apparatus.

Among the advantages of the construction of rescue device thus described are that all requisite gear is stowable internally and in such a manner as also to be available when the device is afloat, a considerable simplification of the aircraft installation is possible, and there is favourably positive release of the device from the aircraft, and minimisation of risk of inadvertent release. Moreover, inflation of the bow and stern sections right side up is ensured, rigid foundation 4 is pro! vided for mast and rigging, the device is more suitable for use by an inexperienced crew than known devices, and maintenance of the complete unit can be done away from the aircraft.

As already indicated, in the event of failure of the operating gear for inflating the bolsters .l 4, the container ,4 will float off the aircraft when the latter sinks and the container is released at [5. In order to accommodate such a case a further means of righting the container may be provided and is shown as comprising ties 4| embodying weak links or other means of disconnection designed to break or be released when the container has rolled over to a predetermined angle, I

the ties connecting the aireraft l on either side to points on the top of the container 4,, See Figures 3 and 6. The connection to the aircraft at 50 is a fixed one but for connection to the container 4 use is made of swivelling hooks Ill mounted on a base 43 secured to the container having a resilient projection 49, Figures 3, 6 and 13. On sinking of the aircraft and after release at l5 either tie can be caused to draw down the container on one side and so roll it over. The other tie, of course, would be required to be disconnected from its book 'H to enable the rolls ing over to take place and this can be done by the operator of the device, prior to ditching, by pulling a handle such as 48, Figure 3, and so withdrawing a retaining pin 45 for the hook through a control line 41. The hook will then take up the position shown in Figure 14, in which position the ring 46 of the tie 4| can pull out past the resilient projection 49 and thus will be incapable of exercising any restraint. n the other hand, the ring 46 of the first tie will not pull out past the resilient projection 49 of its hook ll until the latter (still retained by its pin 45) comes to a more or less vertical position at which stage, of course, the rolling over of the container has been fully initiated. By this arrangement, the container 4 on release may roll over on either side of the aircraft l at will, to cause launching of the rescue device on the one side or the other of the aircraft if so desired for reasons of weather or damage to the craft, The ends 50 for anchoring the ties 4| to the craft I are, of course, shown loose in Figure '3, They are shown in secured positions in Figure 6,

In order to prevent premature or accidental operation of manual control parts of the rescue e i es ea i t c able guards such one shown at applied over the containers release handle in Figure 5, may be employed to isolate or cover these parts.

According to a modification, instead of automatic release of the container 4 from the recess 5 of the a c ft 1 b in c n ol d y a imp ct 9? immersion i ch. disposed. o the cont ine at 24, a similar switch could be mounted at the bottom of the fuselage as shown at 23. in Figure hi r an t w d p d o ele se the n iner t mm di tel he cra t touches the water. As a. further modification the switches at both 23 and 24 may be used, though this, though preferable, is not essential as the in l switch at either ati n woul be ufllcienb According to another modification, which is illustrated by Figure 11, the bolsters may be con--. structed asymmetrically, as indicated bythe dot.- and-dash line at I4 instead of symmetrically as shown by the full line at M, so as to cause e ase of he ntai n d ermined side o he a rcraf or o mak he ev ce oll over in a particular direction when launching it from the aircraft.

By a further modification, the bolsters 14 or 1.4 instead of bein detachable from the con.- tainer 4 as aforesaid may be fixed to the container and thus be kept in their original position, after launching of the container, to provide selfrighting characteristics.

As another modification, arrangement may be made whereby the bolsters I4, 14, when detachable, may after launching be fitted on outriggers to increase lateral stability of the container in the water.

According to another modification, the cover 32 of the middle compartments ID of the container 4 may be used as a centre board or keel at 3'! in Figures 8 and 9. The quick-release device l9, Figures 2 to 4, would then be made removable to allow entry of the cover 32 into the hollow wall or partition 38. If no keel or :centre board be used, the part 38 may be omitted so that the two compartments l0 would then be merged in one single compartment of the container.

By another modification the top I of the container 4 may be provided with emergency open ings, as at 40 in Figure 3, to give access to rations and other vital stores in the compartments 9, l0 and II, in the unlikely event of failure of the pressure-fluid systems and of the crew being too weak to overturn the container themselves.

For a similar reason, any enclosed devices in the compartments 9, I0 and II of the container, such as an enclosed radio set 52, or water tanks 53 (Figures 3 and 8), may be made accessible whichever side up the container 4 is when released.

As a modification, if the capacity of the craft were required to be greater than that of the first example, the number of inflatable tubes in the bow and stern sections I50, I60 would suitably be increased, e. g. to three at each end.

An outboard engine, may also be used in the first example if desired. This engine may have alternative mountings at either end of the container, like the mast 35 aforesaid and for a similar reason, and the container in each case provides a rigid foundation for the mounting of the engine.

The example of rescue device illustrated by Figure 15, is designed for more ready escape of the crew from aircraft and without the disadvantages of immersion. It is also more suitable for use by inexperienced personnel such as passengers.

Aocording to the example of rescue device, 11-. lustrated by Figure 15, the container 4, is adapted to. be pulled off an aircraft in flight by means of a parachute 58. The fuselage of the aircraft iv might have a rearward top-side step 59 and a recess or compartment be provided for the container to the rear of the step so that the streamline characteristics of the craft are substantially retained. The parachute apparatus, suitably including a pilot parachute 60, could be accommodated in a rear compartment (H, of the container.

Occupants of the-aircraft, on emergency, would enter the appropriately sized container before its release from the aircraft and take up a lying down position in compartments or spaces oi the container such as. indicated in diagrammatic fashion in the drawing, a cover similar to 32 aforesaid, being removed after launching.

As will be realised, the parachute 58 would draw the container away from the craft I substantially in its own plane, so that launching is effected with desirable facility.

The small compartment marked 13 in Figur 15 is to contain an inflatable bow or stern sec-'- tion such as I50 and IE aforesaid. In general it is not essential to have such inflatable sections at both ends of the container and Figure is an example where there is one at only one end.

In this example escape at night would be ren dered safer as any uncertainty as to whether the aircraft was over land or water would be im-'-' material. If the aircraft were out of control, on fire, or uncertain of its position, the parachute would therefore be used. The occupants could release the parachute from the container, after use, in any suitable manner as will be unders. stood. On the other hand, if the captain of the aircraft decided that he could more successfully save his crew or passengers by ditching or forced landing the lifeboat could be available in the same manner as in the first example. The ditching stations provided would, in the latter case, be equally suitable as crash stations.

In known aircraft, abandoning by parachute over the sea is open to the great objection of dispersal of the crew or other personnel. being unavoidable with consequentlowering of morale, high exposure risk and "difficulty of search, and this can be avoided by this example of the invention.

The container in Figure 15' is shown with transverse stowage compartments v56 fore and aft. for equipment, food supplies and so on.

According to a further example of construction, the rigid top or rigid top and sides of the container of construction already described may further provide for fitting of one or more collapsible keels so designed as to provide greater safety of the crew or other occupants and a safe location for such emergency equipment as the crew would require to be immediately available in the event of failure of the self-righting gear and the crew being too exhausted to right the boat manually. For instance, as shown by Figure 16 two keels 62 may be hingedly mounted at each side of the central wall In to be collapsible into a recessed formation 63 on the outside of the rigid top (or rather the bottom as shown because the container is inverted). These keels, if the container were not righted, could be swung upwardly and outwardly to form a space 64 for emergency equipment as illustrated by Figure 1'7. There might be removable covers like 40 aforesaid or doors 65 in the recessed part 63 to allow access to the well I!) and the keels would be supported by struts 66 in the upswung position.

It will be apparent that the invention is not restricted to the examples of construction thus particularly described but that other modifica-' tions are possible without departing from the broad scope and intention of these improvements. It is considered, for example, that like apparatus might, with advantage, also be incorporated in similar fashion, in the bulls of submarines or other marine vessels for use on sinking of these vessels.

The invention includes within its purvieu and in combination not only lifeboats and similar rescue devices of the new or improved construction described, but also such modification or construction of air or other craft, as would be requisite or advantageous to make provision for the recess or compartment, such as 8, to accommodate the devices, and this suitably with- 10 out, or substantially without, sacrifice of streamline or contour characteristics of the craft.

1. A lifeboat or similar rescue device for an air or other craft, comprising a rigid watertight container to be housed on said craft, means on said container operative to hold it in position on said craft but which is readily releasable, when emergency arises, so that said container may launch on water, inflatable buoyant means attached to and adapted to be housed in uninflated condition in said container, said inflatable buoyant means having a form such that when inflated it presents lines which extend in faired fashion from and substantially'merge into the lines of the container and bounds with the container a space, a sheet of flexible material secured to, and extensible on inflation of, said inflatable buoyant means to provide a floor for said space to enable the latter to accommodate occupants of said device, and means for inflating'said inflatable buoyant means and projecting the same from its housing in the container when the latter is'released from said craft.

2.'A lifeboat or similar rescue device for an air or'other craft comprising a rigid watertight container of substantially rectangular form in plan to be housed Qn'said craft, means on said container operative to hold it in position on said craft but which is readily releasable, when emergency arises, so that said container may launch on water, inflatable buoyant means attached to opposite ends of said container, said inflatable buoyant means having a form such that when inflated it forms'bow and stern sections the lines of which extend in faired fashion form and substantially merge into the lines of opposite sides of said container and each'of which sections bounds with the container a space, sheets of flexible material secured to, and extensible on inflation of, said inflatable buoyant means to provide a floor for said spaces to enable the latter to accommodate occupants of said device, and means for inflating said inflatable buoyant means and projecting the same from its housing in the container when the latter is released from said craft.

3. A lifeboat or similar rescue device for an air or other craft, comprising a rigid watertight container to be housed in inverted position on said craft, means on said container operative to hold it in position on said craft but which is readily releasable, when emergency arises, so that said container may launch on water, inflatable buoyant means attached to and adapted to be housed in uninflated condition in said container, means for inflating said inflatable buoyant means and projecting the same from its housing in the container when the latter is released from said craft so as to assist flotation of the rescue device on said water, inflatable bolsters of substantially segmental shape when inflated and which when inflated project from the container in planes which are normal to the plane of the container, these bolsters being attached to and adapted to be housed in uninflated condition in said container, and means for inflating said bolsters and projecting the same from their housing in the container when the latter is released from said craft, the construction of the bolsters being such as when inflated to propel or positively eject the container from said craft and to serve in turning said container over to come right-side-up on said water.

4. In combination, an air or other craft and assume a lifeboat or similar rescue device. therefor, such device comprising. a. rigid watertight container to be fitted into a recess of said craft, means on said container and insaid recess operative tohold the container in position inthe recess, said means being readily releasable, when. emergency arises, so that said container may launch on water, inflatable. buoyant means attached to and adapted to be housed; in. uninflated condition in said container, said inflatable buoyant means having a form such thatwhen inflated it presents lines which extend in fairedfashion. from and substantially merge into the lines or the container and bounds with the container a space, a sheet of flexible material. secured to; and extensible on inflation of, said inflatable buoyant means to provide a floor for said space to enable the latter to accommodate occupants of said device, and means for inflating. said inflatable buoyant means and projecting the same from their housing. inthe container when the latter is released. from said recess.

5. Alifeboat or similar rescue device. according to claim 1, wherein the rigid watertight container is constructed for accommodation ininverted position on said craft, andv thev device includes means for righting said. container as soon: as it is afloat, and a pulrality of, collapsible keels on. said container and designed to provide accommodation. for occupants and equipment in the event of the container happenin to remain. unrighted 0n;1aunching..

6. A lifeboat or similar rescue device according.

toclaim 1, wherein the container is. adaptedltobe housed. in invertedposition on the air or other craft, means further being provided for bringing the container to-right-side-up position when released from said craftand. the means for inflat- 1 Number Name Date 746,940- Ewing,.-Ir.. Dec. 15, 1903 285,849 Albrecht. Mar. 28, 1905 1 ,205,033 Seely Nov. 14,1916 1,259,534; Lewark. Mar. 19, 1918 1,399,196 Collins Dec. 6, 1921 1,7T60}0'6'I Horni' May 27, 1930 11,786,627. Mei'ster Dec. 30, 1930 1,923,963 Ayad' Aug. 22, 1933 2,116,200 Hermanson May 3, 1938 2,264,321 Manson- Dee-2,1941 2,317,285 Marple Apr. 20, 1943 FGREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 639,084 France Mar. 5, 1928 658,096 France- Jan. 22; 1929 195,30? Germany Feb. 1907 301,596 Italy Oct. 7, 1932' 12 ing. the said inflatable buoyant means and projecting the same from its housing in said container being operative to effect such inflation aiter the container isinsuch. right-side-up positionioix the water.

7-. A lilieboat or similar rescue device according to-clainr 1, wherein the rigid Watertight container is housed on said craft. in a substantially horizontal position, and the device includes a parachute: associated with said container and operative towithdraw it substantially in its own plane from said. craft'upon release of the container.

BASIL: WILMO'E TOWNSHEND.

REFERENGES CITED- The following references are of record in the the of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

